Through the Phases of Love
by Inner Dementia
Summary: Love will always finds a way, even if it takes you a long time to realize it. Completely AU.
1. o n e

**Through the Phases of Love**

**Chapter One: **First Meetings

**A/N: **Ah, so I started a new story, this one will be completely AU, or alternate universe for those who don't know. This means that there will be no Spirit World, and no magic in my story, but all of the characters from the movie will be in here, just in different situations. So, I'm sorry if that wasn't the type of story you were looking for, but I'm hoping this will be just as enjoyable!

**Disclaimer: **All the characters seen in this story are the property of Hayao Miyazaki and his film, Spirited Away.

**+ f i r s t . m e e t i n g s +**

_chapter one_

A loud group of children chatted excitedly amongst themselves, attracting the attention of one lonely peer. She approached them slowly, her steps shy and timid. Drawing up all the bravery she could muster in her tiny body, she spoke in a quivery voice, "Can I play with you?"

The other girls ahead of her immediately stopped what they were doing, and turned to face their unwanted intruder. Their faces held expressions of condescension, as they regarded her with utmost contempt. Yet, the small girl was undeterred as her eyes lit up with a hopeful glow.

"No!" the leader of the group shouted, her nose crinkling in disgust. Giving her a look filled with the greatest disdain, she quickly turned her friends around, believing her problem to be solved.

The small girl backed off, her mouth turning into a frown. _Why won't they let me play with them? _she questioned herself, her optimism fading as they began walking away from her. But she was determined not to quit, and with one last try called out in a trembling voice.

"Why? Why can't I play with you?"

The group of three girls instantly whirled around, annoyance written plainly on their faces. Despite her dwindling courage, she stood her ground, and watched as the tallest of the trio came forward, her dark eyes flashing.

"You can't play with us because you're ugly!" she snapped, tossing her long black hair over her shoulder and placing her hands on her hips, in a show of haughty arrogance.

At once the girl's face fell. _Ugly? They won't play with me because I'm ugly?_

"Yeah, and you're fat too!" another one chorused from the first girl's side, taking note of her stricken expression, and following the cue of her leader.

"Yeah, and we don't like you either! So, go away!" the last one said, her hazel eyes shining with a malicious intent. Taking a step forward, she reached out with her hands and abruptly shoved the smaller girl hard into the ground, laughing as tears began to form.

Once her tormentors were gone, she quickly picked herself and raced in the opposite direction, sobbing loudly. She needed somewhere to hide, _anywhere_ that would take her far away from them. So, she ran, as fast as her legs could carry her and found herself stopping underneath the branches of a large tree. She drew her knees up to her chest and buried her face into the comforting space of her arms, and cried loudly, repeating the words _fat_ and _ugly _in her head.

"Nobody likes me!" she said, anguished.

Soon enough the sounds of her crying caught the attention of a passing boy, making him pause in his tracks. He turned his head and stood still, listening intently for its source of origination. Gazing up a slight hill, he was able to spot a small figure huddled next to a wide trunk. Without reason or explanation he found himself walking towards her, his feet moving slow and steady up the grassy incline.

"What's wrong?" he asked, as he came to a stop in front of her.

The girl raised her dampened face, startled at the sudden presence. She gazed at him with a mixture of shock and awe, totally enraptured by the notion that there was someone who had actually _wanted_ to speak to her. She just couldn't fathom it.

"T-They were so m-mean to me," she managed to stutter out, a sob threatening to break out.

"Who was?" he probed gently, his bright green eyes full of concern.

"Rina, Mika, and Nami," she answered softly, glancing around for potential danger, in case they were nearby.

"What did they do?" he asked once more, sitting down next to her.

"Rina says that I'm ugly–" she started to say, voice full of despair before being cut off.

"You're not ugly!" the boy protested, giving her a fierce stare.

"I'm not?"

"No! I think you're very pretty," he said sincerely, nodding his head in a matter of fact way.

"Really?" she said in a hopeful tone, blushing a bright pink as she did so.

He nodded again, his head bobbing up and down in earnest. "So, what else did they say?"

"Oh, Mika also said that I'm fat," she said, glancing at herself with a sad frown, picking at the edges of her folded skirt.

"You're not fat!" he burst out adamantly, anger growing within him. _What mean things to say! She's not any of those things! Those girls had no right to say that!_

"Oh, and then there was Nami, she was the meanest. She told me that they didn't want to play with me because they didn't like me, and then she pushed me on the ground! It really hurt! She didn't have to do that," the girl finished quickly, her optimistic persona slowly regaining its lost form.

"That's not nice! Why'd they do something like that to you?" he said, shocked at the audacity of the girls, knowing she didn't deserve any of their harsh treatment.

"Nothing! I just wanted to play with them," she answered, tears threatening to flow again, as she remembered their words to her.

"Oh, don't cry!" the boy said, alarmed.

"I-I'm not going to c-cry!" she sniffed out, looking downwards.

"My name's Haku. What's yours?" he said eagerly, trying to cheer her up.

"Oh! My name's Chihiro," she replied, giving him a tentative smile.

"How old are you? I'm six," Haku said with pride at the mention of his age.

"Wow, I'm four. That means you're two years older than me!" Chihiro answered eyes wide with amazement. She had never talked with someone older than her, other then her parents.

"I know. That means I'm much more smarter than you!" he said, puffing out his chest.

"Nah uh!" Chihiro shot back.

"Uh huh!" Haku countered.

"Nah uh!"

"Uh huh!"

They continued on in this fashion for quite a while, their voices climbing higher and higher with each subsequent rebuke. Neither of them were willing to back down, determined to prove who the better half was in their fierce debate. Yet, the answer to that question was never decided, as they were interrupted by the sudden loud chorus of laughter, the noise drifting up from the area below them. Pausing in their actions, they turned towards the offending sound and managed to make out a group of three heads walking away from them.

Chihiro's face fell, the hurtful words flashing through her head, as the memory of her earlier incident was brought back to life. Her dark eyes gazed at the ground, her somber mood returning. The long strands of her light brown hair falling into her face.

A flood of anger coursed through Haku, the emerald color of his eyes darkening, as he gazed upon her lowered head. She didn't deserve to be treated this way! It wasn't fair! Those girls were very mean and naughty; he didn't understand why they didn't get punished. If _he_ had done any of those things to _his_ classmates, he knew for sure that he would have gotten in trouble. So, why didn't they?

At once he came to his decision. If they were going to treat his friend like that and get away with it then he would show them! Taking matters into his own hands, Haku reached out and grasped his fingers around Chihiro's palm, pulling her upright as he did so.

Without a moment's hesitation he quickly stormed off in their direction, his steps fast and heavy as he stomped the ground, dragging Chihiro behind him.

"Huh? Where are we going Haku?" she asked, but received no answer as she followed the urgent tugging on her hand.

After a few minutes of heated pursuit they finally came to their sought after destination, Haku's eyes blazing. The threesome stood off to the center of a building, chatting animatedly about some foreign subject, swishing their long hair as they did so.

"Hey!" he shouted, getting the girls' attention. Chihiro's eyes widened as she watched them turn around, their faces full of irritation, and let out a frightened squeak, taking cover behind Haku's form.

"What?" Rina snapped.

"Why did you say those things about Chihiro? She's not ugly!" Haku yelled.

"Yes she is!" Rina said, glaring at the small head that peeked out from behind him.

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"You're ugly!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!" Rina raged, furious she hadn't gotten her way. _She was pretty! Of course she was pretty! Her parents told her so everyday! How dare he say she wasn't! _Stomping forward, she reached out and grabbed a fistful of Chihiro's hair, and without further ado quickly yanked her down with a heavy pull, sending her crashing to the floor, causing her to break out in tears at her painful fall.

"Hey! That's not nice!" Haku roared, as he cocked back his fist and delivered a crushing blow to Rina's face.

A deafening screech resounded through the air, as Rina stumbled backwards, her eyes brimming with tears, as she held her hands up to her red nose.

"How dare you do that to Rina!" Nami screamed, launching herself at Haku, tackling him to the floor.

Chihiro watching the action with horrified amusement, leapt to the defense of her friend, "Don't you do that to him!"

Mustering all the strength she could, Chihiro attempted to shove the taller girl off of him, but was met with difficulty as she felt a hand yank viciously on her hair. Turning around, she met the glittering eyes of Mika, her face twisted into an angry snarl. Soon enough, all of the children found themselves in an all out brawl, catching the attention of one angry caretaker.

"What in the name is going on here?! Your Highness, just _what_ do you think you are doing?!"

The children stopped what they were doing at once, releasing their captured individuals with alarming speed. Their eyes grew fearful as they took in the blustering figure standing before them, her blue eyes colder than ice. Haku stood proudly, not backing down.

"She started it!" Rina said immediately, her finger quickly pointing at the quiet figure on the end. Chihiro looked downward, biting her lip.

Haku glancing at her sullen form burst out with a, "No she didn't! _She _started it!"

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did!"

_"No I didn't!"_

_"Yes you did!"_

The children all broke out in a chorus of angry, "Yes you did!" and "No she didn't!" Much to the vexation of the standing female.

"Enough! All of you go inside!" she directed, pointing at the gray building behind her. They followed obediently, fleeing at the first chance they got.

"Oh no you don't, young prince!" the lady snapped, grabbing the green-eyed boy by the back of his collar.

-

"Are you in trouble?" Chihiro asked softly, her eyes bright with concern.

"No, but I think the others are," he whispered, drawing his head closer to hers.

They fell into silence, bodies bent over a collection of wooden blocks placed upon their table. Together they built a collection of fortresses and castles, each intricately designed with bright colors. Their fun was brought to an end when a voice suddenly called out from behind them.

They turned their heads and stared at a tall man near the front of the room, his stance proud and intimidating. Chihiro raised an eyebrow and said, "Do you know him?"

"Yeah, he's the head guard of our castle. He comes to pick me up when my father is not able to," Haku informed gently, giving him a glance over.

"Your Highness? It's time to go," he said in a deep baritone, his tone gentle.

"I'm sorry, I have to go," Haku said, giving her an apologetic smile.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" Chihiro said hopefully, gazing into his eyes.

"I think so," he responded, before rushing off to meet the waiting man.

It was the first meeting of many, and the start of a lasting friendship, which would see itself through many trials and obstacles along the way, as they progressed through the years.

* * *

**A/N: **This was a random plot idea I came up with one night a week or so back. I really should be working on Lost in the Fog, so those of you who were waiting for an update of that, I'm sorry! But I should have the next chapter out by this week. Anyway, this story is going to be very different from that one. It's going to be much shorter, and the plot will be pretty simple and straightforward. Not to mention, it'll probably have enough fluff to have you cushioning yourself on marshmallows for days. 

So anyway, the story will take place in their childhood before moving on into their lives as adults. I know many of the things I write about will be inaccurate but I'm trying, so be gentle on me a bit for those. It's not really meant to be a serious piece, more of something I could write in my free time that's easy and stress free. I decided on doing this because I believe almost every plot idea, cliché, and/or concept in the Spirited Away section has been done to death, and I got tired of reading the same things over and over again. (Yes, this applies to my own fic as well. Haha) So, I came up with this, not entirely new and ground-breaking, but something I wanted to try.

Through the Phases of Love probably won't be updated as often as Lost in the Fog, but don't worry it'll have its share of limelight as well. Anywho, I wrote this pretty quick so I'm sure there are lots of errors in the text, but my checker isn't here yet. I'll probably freshen it up when I have time.


	2. t w o

**Through the Phases of Love**

**Chapter Two: **A Growing Friendship

**Disclaimer: **Nope, not mine.

**+ a . g r o w i n g . f r i e n d s h i p +**

_chapter two_

"I am very disappointed in you," a deep voice boomed throughout an elegantly decorated room, the sound reverberating off the gold inlaid walls. A tall man sat proudly upon a tall backed chair, the bright display of colors from the multitude of gemstones embedded in its design shone brightly in the afternoon light.

The man held himself with the utmost esteem, his stance belying his regal birth. He was dressed in the finest material money could buy, and a long dark red cloak hung heavily upon his shoulders. Despite his overwhelming wealth he held a gentle disposition with sharp green eyes, and long flowing light brown hair, flecked with strands of white.

He laid his eyes upon the figure of his son, who was currently quelling under his stern gaze, looking downwards at the floor. "I was also informed by Mistress Hatsumi that you have been engaging yourself in fights–"

"But Father!" the boy protested, snapping his head up to meet his eyes.

"No buts," he continued his voice firm. "It is not becoming for a prince to dabble in meaningless affairs."

Haku frowned, looking back down at the ground in shame.

"I am to understand that you also punched a young lady in your squabble?" he continued, frowning on this point.

"Yeah, but!" Haku protested once again, his voice rising to a higher pitch.

"We do not punch ladies. Whatever they may do or say, we do _not_ harm them in any way whatsoever. It is a great shame and dishonor to do so," the King added, glancing to his right at the sitting female next to him. She agreed with him on this point and gave a low nod, her dark hair falling forward as she did so.

"But I was only helping Chihiro! Rina called her all sorts of mean things, and then yanked her to the ground!" Haku rambled off, determined to prove his innocence.

The man gave a start, gazing at his son with wide eyes, "Did you just say Chihiro? As in Chihiro Ogino, the daughter of the Eastern Kingdom?"

Haku tilted his head, a confused expression lighting his face, the facts having no meaning to him. "I don't know what you're talking about, but she said her name was Chihiro," he supplied.

Upon hearing their son's confirmation the King and Queen shared a secret glance between each other, a small smile adorning their faces. Turning his head back to the front he continued, "Helping her or not, there is no need to resort to such violent measures. Is this clear?"

"Yes, Father," Haku said, bowing his head.

"Very well, you may leave," he said, and at his dismissal Haku immediately took off, eager to get back to playing in the garden.

Watching his son leave, the King turned and gazed upon his wife, remarking on her radiant persona. "So, Toshiko what do you think this means? Do you think it was fate that they would meet?"

The Queen had a bright sparkle her deep blue eyes, and let out another smile, "Well, it certainly makes our decision seem all that much better, doesn't it? I'd say the prospects are quite good for the future if this keeps up, and maybe we won't have to deal with the negative repercussions later."

"We can only hope, you never know how the dynamics of things will change in the coming years," he agreed, placing a hand over his wife's, wrapping his fingers in an affectionate gesture.

"Only in the future Akihito, only in the future," Toshiko said softly, gazing at the entryway their son had exited from.

* * *

Chihiro ran across the grounds eagerly, her small legs moving as fast as she could make them. Her eyes were set on the green-eyed boy in front of her and she couldn't wait to tell him all the new things she learned today. Nearing him, she quickened her pace and felt her foot catch on the hem of her skirt, tripping her up and causing her to fall face forwards into the ground.

Haku turned at the sudden thud behind him and was met with a rather comical sight. Chihiro was splayed out before him, her long chestnut hair spread out in a fan. She moaned in pain and pushed herself off the ground, her face smudged with dirt. The offending piece of clothing was rumpled beneath her body, the beautiful blue satin fabric soiled beyond repair.

"Are you okay?" he asked, green eyes bright with concern.

"Yeah," she murmured, dusting herself off as best as she could. "I think my skirt isn't."

An eruption of giggles caught their attention, and they turned behind them, faced with a trio of laughing faces. Haku glared at them, and they quickly became silent, their faces serious. Glancing at Chihiro, Rina let out a disdainful, "hmph!" and turned her face up towards the sky, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she did so. With a final departing sneer, the rest of the girls followed behind, sauntering along in over exaggerated steps.

"I guess they're afraid of you," Chihiro volunteered, her eyes watching them keenly. The events from yesterday still fresh in her mind.

"I don't care, they deserved it! You shouldn't be friends with them anyway," Haku snapped, his eyes flashing.

"Come on, let's go inside," Chihiro urged, grabbing his hand in an attempt to calm him down.

"Okay," Haku agreed, following her lead.

Together they walked towards the building in front of them; the white walls a homing beacon for the two children. Reaching their destination, Chihiro pushed open a small wooden gate in front of her, tugging at the person behind her to keep up. She smiled brightly at the tall woman standing guard at the front of the garden, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"Do you want to go inside?" the lady asked gently, bending down to her height.

Chihiro nodded, her bangs brushing the sides of her cheeks. Putting a hand to her back, the woman gently guided the pair inside a large expansive room, leaving them in the hands of the head caretaker.

Gazing at the myriad of activities around them, Chihiro spoke, "What should we do?"

Haku stared blankly, his brow furrowed in confusion. He tilted his head from side to side in a pensive manner, unsure of what to decide. "I don't know. Do you want to play with the blocks?" he suggested, indicating a corner opposite of them.

She shook her head, the idea not appealing to her. "But Shuya and Bunzo are already playing with them and I don't want to bother them," she added, watching her peers assemble various structures.

"So, then what?" Haku frowned, glancing around him once more.

"Hmm..." Chihiro mumbled, racking her brain. She stayed quiet for a while, pondering on different possibilities until a sudden flash of inspiration struck. "What about drawing? No one's there now," indicating the empty tables with her hand.

"Okay, let's draw," Haku agreed, walking off towards the table.

They quickly grabbed sheets of parchment and fat bristled brushes. Dipping them in water they quickly lathered the tip with generous amounts of colored paint and set them to the paper. Thoroughly absorbed by the task at hand, Chihiro began crafting a cheery picture of clouds and horses, her fingers moving up and down.

"See," she said, presenting her finished picture proudly towards him, the wet paint slowly migrating a path downwards.

Haku smiled, enjoying the combination of bright colors and lifted his up for comparison. It was an earnest attempt at a dragon, a ball of fire erupting from his mouth. "This is mine," he said, enthused.

"Ooh, that's pretty!" Chihiro praised, bringing the picture closer to her eyes.

"Yours is pretty too!" Haku added, gently poking at her drawing.

"We should write our names on it. I just learned how to do mine today," Chihiro suggested, grabbing her paper back.

"Yeah, that way we won't forget," he nodded, retrieving his parchment.

Chihiro frowned, her lips pursed in deep concentration. Her hand moved with a determined focus, painstakingly crafting out the intricate details of her name. She had only learned this just recently, so it was still quite difficult for her to do.

Slowly and with methodical precision, Chihiro finished swirling her brush in a great flourish. She smiled and with great pride, presented her work to a waiting Haku.

"See," she said, holding the paper up for him to see.

"Chihiro," he read smoothly, admiring her handiwork.

"Ko-ha-ku?" Chihiro enunciated carefully, stumbling over the unknown characters. "But I thought your name was Haku?" she said, confused.

"It is," he confirmed. Seeing the blank look on her face he continued, "My real name is Kohaku-nushi. Haku is just a nickname," he explained.

"Oh, I see!" Chihiro said brightly, nodding her head in understanding. "But that's strange, why is your name so long? Mine is only Chihiro, but my full name is Chihiro Ogino," she added for embellishment. "Isn't that neat?"

"Uh huh. My real name is much longer though. It's Kohaku-nushi Nigihayami," Haku stated.

"Wow, that's really long," she said in amazement, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yeah, that's why I'm called Haku," he said, handing her his paper.

"I hope you guys aren't up to trouble," a voice interrupted them.

The pair looked up and was met with a figure of long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She gazed down at them, eyebrow raised, a quizzical look on her face. It was Mistress Hatsumi, their caretaker.

"Nope! We were drawing. See?" Chihiro said, showing her the paintings they had done earlier.

"Ah, that's good," she smiled, relieved that her students weren't up to any mischief. She didn't fancy talking to the King, thank you very much. It made her exceedingly nervous and she couldn't help but feel insignificant under his powerful presence.

"Do you like it?" Chihiro asked earnestly, seeking praise.

"Yes, they're very pretty," she nodded, smiling at her pupil's innocent behavior.

"Thank you!" Chihiro gushed happily, holding her papers up with pride.

"You're welcome. Anyhow, Your Highness? It's time to go, Master Kei is here," Hatsumi informed the green-eyed boy beside her who promptly took a sidelong glance towards the door. A tall, robust figure waited patiently, his body adorned with all sorts of protective armor.

"Ah, I have to go. See you tomorrow Chihiro," Haku said softly, giving their caretaker a nod of leave before heading towards the door.

"Bye!" Chihiro called out, waving her arm wildly in the air.

He turned and gave a wave before slipping out of her sight, making his way home with his protector.

* * *

**A / N: **Wow, I almost forgot the plot for this story but somehow I managed to find it among the scraps of paper I have stored away. It's a bit slow moving but I think it'll pick up the pace soon enough. Don't you just love the cuteness of them?

**Thanks: **I have to thank the people who left me a review. They are: Savior-Elemental, Creation of a Dream, Stephy, veranime, Summer Jasmine, StitchWitch


	3. t h r e e

Through the Phases of Love

**Through the Phases of Love**

**Chapter Three: **River Accidents

**A/N: **Wow, I'm sorry this took so long, but here it is, another addition to my story.

**Disclaimer: **Definitely not mine, though I wish it was.

**+ r i v e r . a c c i d e n t s +**

_chapter three_

Months passed and the two became inseparable, spending each day in the company of the other, firmly glued at the hip. The other caretakers took note of this and commented on it, thinking it cute the two had become such fast friends. Mistress Hatsumi, however, was just glad that they were able to keep each other adequately occupied and out of any unnecessary skirmishes. The less trouble she had to deal with, the better.

Of course what she wanted wasn't always what she got, as periodically, the trio of girls christened, "Crowned Princesses" loved to showcase their flippant manners by antagonizing the pair with a myriad of taunts and jeers. Haku being the gentleman that he was easily defused the situation and came to Chihiro's rescue, despite her protests to the contrary.

Everything seemed to be moving along at an ordinary pace until one day, an unexpected event changed the lives of the pair forever...

The day had dawned bright and sunny, with the clouds dotting the sky in haphazard blotches, a perfect time to go outside. Which was what the caretakers did, as they ushered the children onto the grounds to play, letting them have the chance to enjoy the perfect weather, and have the chance to socialize amongst themselves.

Haku and Chihiro found themselves meeting under the branches of the large oak tree. They laughed gaily, sharing stories of what they learned during their lessons and what they were looking forward to on the weekend when there was no school. It was only an added plus that their famed rivals had been forced to stay in class due to their lack of focus and less than exemplary work that they had turned in.

Suddenly, Haku's attention was drawn to an unseen force, his head cocked at an angle. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what? I don't hear anything," Chihiro frowned, tilting her head to imitate him.

"No, there's something," Haku insisted, scrunching his face up in deep concentration. "It sounds like water; do you know if they have water near here?"

_Water? What's so interesting about water? _"I don't know. I heard Mistress Hatsumi talking about a river before," she said, thinking back to their orientation lecture.

Haku's face lit up as his eyes took on an excited gleam. "Really? Let's go see it!" he cried, jumping up and dragging Chihiro with him.

"No, we can't!" Chihiro protested, yanking her arm out of his grasp.

"Why not?" he frowned, his eyes betraying the disappointment he was feeling.

"Because! Don't you remember? Mistress Hatsumi told us not to go there, that it was off-limits, and that it was dangerous," Chihiro chided, a stern glare on her face.

"Oh, come on. It won't hurt! We're just going to go take a quick peek and that's it. That's all! Besides if we're fast enough they probably won't find out. What they don't know won't hurt them, right?" Haku insisted, his eyes wide as he pleaded with her.

"I don't know..." Chihiro trailed off, caught between opposing emotions as she tried to work out her dilemma.

"Oh, please! Just this once," Haku persisted, his eyes flashing a brilliant green as he implored to his friend to agree with him.

"O-kay," Chihiro relented, drawing out the syllables as she came to her hesitant answer.

"Yay! Let's go!" Haku said excitedly, grabbing her hand and pulling her to some unknown direction.

Frowning, Chihiro observed the passing scenery, noting how it gradually became more and more dense as they went further in, and the sky seemed to grow dark as a thick layer of branches formed a canopy overhead. They were traversing into a small forest, where all sorts of things lived, not including the river. Se was scared, who knew what would happen to them?

"Haku? I'm scared..." Chihiro said timidly, clinging to his arm.

He looked back briefly, his green eyes crossing hers. "Don't worry, I'll protect you!" he proclaimed, puffing out his chest and striding out with purposeful steps, as if to say, "Just try me!"

Chihiro nodded, taking solace in his confident statement and eased the vice grip she had been using on his offered arm. Besides what was she worrying for? Nothing could go wrong. There was even a burning thrill of excitement creeping up her back, and she found herself eagerly looking forward to what awaited them, as she had never openly 'defied' anyone before. Maybe they would be able to get back without getting caught? Now that would be something to tell people.

Haku continued onwards, his steps increasing as he pulled her along to keep up with his pace. His eyes were wide and sparkling with anticipation, and he paused every now and then to take in the sights, as he had never been in a forest before, his father always said something about him being too young or too mischievous when he had asked. Well, now was the time to show him! He'd prove to him what a brave young man he was and get his approval so he'd take him out whenever he made his trips around the land. He wanted to be a great king just like his dad.

Birds chirped above him, as sunlight danced off the remaining drops of dew that were scattered amongst the trees. Chihiro's eyes were wide with rapture as she gushed over the beautiful flora, many extravagantly flowers littered the landscape and she took the time to inspect each and every one, much to Haku's displeasure. She had never seen flowers of that type before, even in her expansive gardens, and it amazed her to no end.

"Come on, Chihiro! We can look at those old plants any day! Let's go!" Haku whined, pulling gently at her wrist.

"No I can't! I don't have these at home, just because you don't like looking at them doesn't mean I don't!" she complained, her eyes narrowed as she glared at him.

"Fine! But hurry up! We need to get back before break is over," Haku grumbled, a deep frown gracing his lips.

Chihiro rolled her eyes in response, bending over a clump of darkly colored flowers. She let out a peal of giggles as she reached forward and gently fingered the edge of a blue petal, her eyes caught on its broad size. _Maybe she should take one home?_ Humming softly, she deftly snapped the head off from its stem and deposited it safely into the crook in her dress, making sure not to crush it as she did so. Moving forward she grabbed another one growing nearby, taking a strange liking to its deep red hues. _Maybe one more, just one more... I could wear it on my head..._ Gazing around, her eyes fell on a bright yellow flower blooming on a far off corner. Smiling, she hurried over, quickly swiping it up and depositing it behind her ear, making sure it rested securely in her long strands of hair.

"Are you done yet?" Haku broke in, a peevish sort of expression on his face. _Jeeze, how long was she going to take?_

"Yeah," Chihiro said, her girlish desires fulfilled at last.

"Finally!" Haku cried, dragging her towards the ever growing sound of rushing water.

The constant blur of noise was their guide as they inched closer and closer to it, the air becoming damper as they went along. Thick layers of moss grew along the ground and covered nearby objects much to Chihiro's delight, as she ran her fingers over the slippery surface time and time again, much to Haku's dismay.

"We're here," Haku declared as they came to a stop at the foot of the river.

"Wow," Chihiro said in amazement, her eyes round as she took in the sight that greeted her.

Sprays of white rapids crashed against rock outcroppings and a constant buzz of sound assaulted her ears. From the loud rapids she was able to figure out that there were some heavy currents underneath the top surface that were quite strong, and she wouldn't be able to stand up against them if she were ever to fall in. Her eyes were barely able to make the other bank, the river spanning many yards which was larger than she could comprehend.

"Come on, let's go look around," Haku called out, as he scampered over to the river's edge, dangling the tips of his fingers in the cool water.

Chihiro followed suit tagging along behind him before she found something more interesting to capture her attention. It was a lily floating along the top of the water. It was so pretty with its petals spread out in different directions and its bright color that almost seemed to glow in the shadowed light. There was one thing on her mind right now and that was the fact that she wanted it, badly.

Maybe she could find some way around to get it? Frowning, Chihiro found an outcropping of rocks covered over with a carpet of moss, and she realized that if she stood on the end and reached out she would be able to reach it. Turning her head, she took a peek at Haku, who was currently busy inspecting the river's inhabitants and took this chance to walk away from him.

Placing one foot carefully in front of the other, she crouched slowly with painstaking precision, and began to inch forward towards her goal. The footing was quite slippery and she was having a hard time finding good places to bear her weight on, and nearly fell twice in her journey. _She was almost there! _Lifting up her hands, she crawled to the end, her fingers stinging from the rough surface, and she eyed her prize sitting in front of her, her need to have it growing greater.

_I need to get closer_, she thought, and Chihiro moved up, precariously sitting herself on the narrow edge. If she moved suddenly or took a wrong step she would plunge straight into the river's depth and meet unknown dangers. _Just a little more..._ She pursed her lips as she reached out with her hand once again, her body hovering unsteadily over the water. _I can reach it..._ was the last thought in her mind, as the pads of her fingers grazed the velvety tip of a white petal.

"Chihiro! What are you doing?" Haku shrieked in alarm.

Startled, Chihiro shifted her body weight to gaze at him and let out a screech as she found the white water of the river rushing up to meet her.

_"Chihiro!" _

* * *

The last of the children were herded in and caretaker, Ayaka, frowned in dismay. Where was the young Highness Kohaku and Lady Chihiro?

"Rina, did you see Kohaku and Chihiro anywhere?" she asked the young lady who stood in front of her, the last one to be escorted in.

She let out a huff of irritation before contorting her delicate features into an expression of contemplation. "No, they were under the big tree the last time I saw," she said, shrugging her long black hair over her shoulder.

Ayaka looked upwards and found the area underneath the tree to be empty, it was then that panic began to rise quickly within her. Where were they? She couldn't just say she had lost them, they were _the royal children_, she highly doubted their parents would be understanding of her situation. There was no prolonging it; she had to go to the main caretaker.

She found Hatsumi tending to the needs of a sandy-haired boy and quickly signaled her attention. The older woman nodded and quickly addressed the concerns of the young child before wandering over to Ayaka's sides.

"What's wrong?" she asked, noting the flustered expression on the other caretaker's face.

"His Highness Kohaku and Lady Chihiro are missing! They can't be found on the grounds and when I questioned Rina she said she hadn't seen them either," Ayaka rattled off, unable to keep her anxiety under check.

"What!" Hatsumi cried. This was a serious problem; if anything happened to those children they would have her head! "Are you sure they didn't come in with the others?"

Ayaka shook her head, "I'm positive."

"Well, there's nothing wrong with trying again. Quick! Check the cafeteria to see if they returned and I'll scope out the classroom," she ordered, running off as soon as the words had left.

Ayaka took off; her long legs sprinting up the hallway, with a quick turn she deftly navigated a corner and slid into the archway of the wide eating room. Heads turned at their caretaker's arrival, and a gallery of eyes that were all shapes and colors gazed curiously at her presence, wondering what was going on for her to cause such a disturbance.

Without wasting any time she began scanning the room, racing up every aisle and briefly pausing at each table to confirm the fact that none of the children here were the ones she were looking for. After spending nearly ten minutes inspecting the entire she made a short trip to the bathroom, hoping by luck one of them had needed to use the facilities, but alas, they were gone just as she had feared. Together with unsettling information she hurried back to their original meeting point to relay her news.

"Did you find them?" Hatsumi breathed out, her hair a mess and her face flushed a bright pink.

"No," Ayaka frowned, a deep panic beginning to set in her nerves.

"Let's check outside, that's where they were last seen, maybe we can get some clues as to their disappearance," Hatsumi directed, ushering her outside.

They split in half, dividing the grounds between the two of them. Ayaka made sure not to leave any stone unturned while Hatsumi fussed over every possible nook and cranny they could have escaped too, but their efforts were in vain as their search turned up empty. The area underneath the big tree didn't prove itself to be fruitful as not a clue could be found. Ayaka raced back to their rendezvous point, nearly in tears at their current dilemma.

"Nothing?" Hatsumi asked, a solemn expression on her face.

"Nothing," Ayaka sighed, hanging her head in defeat and shame for failing her duties assigned to her by the ruling body.

They were about ready to give up all hope when a piercing scream broke the air. They quickly turned to face other, each wearing identical masks of dread, before racing off toward the sound. The forest whizzed by them in a colorful blur as they made their way towards them, their hearts beating wildly with fear.

"Oh, no! The river," Ayaka said in revelation, her eyes wide as her voice trembled with her unstable nerves.

They came to a stop and let out gasps of horror as they caught a last glimpse of two legs bending forward, disappearing beneath the water, with the telltale flash of green melding into blue.

"Your Highness!" the pair shouted out together, dashing after him.

* * *

It was woefully cold, the water around her buffeted her tiny body and she struggled against the currents, her eyes burning from the freezing temperatures. _Help! _her mind called out but only a stream of bubbles answered her plea. She was scared, frightened beyond logical thought, and tried desperately to climb to the surface.

Her chest was burning, and she had the overwhelming need to breathe, but when she opened her mouth was greeted by a rush of water forcing itself down her throat. Chihiro clamped her mouth shut and tried to break free of the strong rapids, feeling herself being pulled farther and farther down the river. If she could cry, her tears would have been flowing freely in her panic, as she reached out with her fingers hoping to the stars that she was able to cling onto some sturdy surface. But with each attempt, her fingers slipped over the smooth planes of the object and felt her hope begin to dissipate.

_Am I going to die?_ It was a thought that never crossed her mind but looking at it now, it seemed quite likely that she was, and she found herself fighting against the injustice of it all. She didn't want to die! But if she was going to live she needed air, and fast.

Just as she thought her chest was about to explode, she felt a pair of gentle hands grab her from behind and lift her to the surface. She broke through the water and immediately began inhaling raspy gasps of air, her body shot with frayed emotions. She was so tired she could barely even move. Turning around, she turned at her savior and was met with a pair of dark green eyes who stared at her with a deep intensity.

"Oh, Haku!" she cried out with joy, wrapping her arms around his neck for a hug.

"Come on, we have to get to shore," he said, grasping her hand firmly and grudgingly began making his way back to the river bank. Together with both their combined efforts they slowly made progress until finally, he was able to stand with both feet on the ground.

At once he was seized on both sides by his caretakers, their eyes brimming with tears as they wrapped their arms around both of the young children.

"What were you thinking?" Mistress Hatsumi chided, her voice bordering on hysteria as her deep blue eyes flashed brightly in response.

"I –" Haku began before being cut off.

"Nevermind, I'm so glad you two are all right," she said tearfully, hugging him for reassurance.

Ayaka gazed at the shivering child before, her body trembling at the strain of her encounter, and her eyes lifted tiredly from hers to her caretaker's before looking back on the ground once more, weary with shock. It was still so very cold, and droplets of water littered the ground where she stood, a painful reminder of her terrible ordeal.

"Are you all right?" she inquired softly, concern drifting across her features.

Chihiro nodded slowly, wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm. She couldn't stop shivering and the world moved around her in slow motions, each action a hazy blur in her mind. She was so tired she just wanted to sleep.

"Come on, let's get these two inside. We'll have to inform their parents about this," Hatsumi said, grabbing the hand of the young boy who seemed none the worse for the wear, despite his recent part as a hero in one young girl's life.

The quartet walked in silence with Haku glancing periodically over at her, concern shining in his eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked finally, a soft note of worry lining his voice.

Chihiro nodded, "I'm okay," she responded, trying her best to give him a happy smile, even though her lips were glued together. He bobbed his head in reply before looking forwards once again.

A deep frown crossed her features when she stuck her hand inside her pocket, there was something in there. With a quick jerky, she pulled her hand out and found something white clasped within it. Curious, she opened her hand slowly and found to her surprise, the lily she had been trying to reach was resting within it, perfectly unharmed with not a blemish on its pristine petals. She giggled softly, thinking how funny it was that she nearly died but the flower she had been wanting was just as she had seen it, exquisite in its condition. After the horrible ordeal she gone through it didn't seem to have gone through it, and she held it close to her, cherishing its beauty.

She held it up to Haku and he smiled, letting out a shake of his head at his realization before taking it from her hand, inspecting it with renewed fascination. Chihiro frowned, there was something wrong, she was missing something. Looking down she found out what it was.

"Mistress Ayaka?" Chihiro asked shyly, tugging on the hem of her dress.

She turned, gazing a kind eye at the child below. "Yes? What is it?"

"I'm missing a shoe," Chihiro answered, lifting up a leg to show her bare foot, where one of her pink shoes had fallen off.

Her statement was greeted with a ruckus of later, as they headed towards the comforting safety of their daycare, their hearts much lighter.

* * *

"What on earth were you thinking!" his father roared, his baritone voice rocketing throughout the hall.

"I'm sorry," Haku said, looking downward in shame.

"Sorry doesn't cut it Haku, you could have died! Worse, you endangered the life of another human being, Princess Chihiro, to add to it. Do you have any idea what the ramifications would have been had anything happened to her?" the King continued, his anger in full flight now.

Haku mumbled softly, his eyes nearly brimming with tears at his father's sharp words. He hadn't meant to put Chihiro in danger, only to bring her along for a short adventure. He didn't think it would cause her to nearly drown to death, but he supposed that was his fault that he wasn't able to think ahead and consider all of the surrounding details instead of mainly his wants.

"I'm very disappointed in you Haku, you're supposed to be a responsible person who looks after the interest in other people, and after all it's what you're going to be doing as the future king of the land, but today's incident makes me believe you weren't thinking about that at all and only about yourself," Akihito chided, his arms crossed over his body as he leveled a severe stare at his son.

This was the worst feeling to experience, not only had he nearly gotten his best friend killed but he had upset his father terribly and let him down in the worst way possible. Haku didn't know how to cope with his feelings of guilt and shame, and a flood of tears tracked their way down his cheeks.

"But," his father continued, a much lighter note in his voice much closer to reverence and respect that made Haku snap his head up to face him. "With today's incident you have proven yourself to be selfless and brave, jumping in the water after without any regard to your own safety, and for that I am very proud of you," he said with a smile, seeing his son's hopeful expression.

_His father was proud of him?_ Haku didn't know how to respond, so he stood there glued to his position, his mouth open in shock. His mother nodded at him, a broad smile on her face, her blue eyes glittering in the fading sunlight.

"Today's incident has made me realize that you are a brave young man who is ready to begin his royal duties. You will be dismissed from school to begin your training, and later on I will take you with me around the world to develop your understanding of the world's political society, which I will also use as a test for your developing abilities," he informed him, making Haku gasp with surprise. It was something he had always wanted, and now he was getting his chance, it was so completely unexpected that he didn't know to respond.

"Are you really going to take me along? Am I really going to become a king now?" Haku asked in disbelief, his eyes wide as he gazed from his father to his mother and back again.

Toshiko nodded, her long black tresses spilling over her shoulder, as the ornate crowned dipped along with her head, following its motions. "Yes, it's true. We've been thinking about it for a while now and we've decided that now is the best time to begin it, we just weren't sure if you were ready for it."

"When do we start?" he asked once again, unable to contain the excitement in his voice, the fresh tears drying on his cheeks.

"Tomorrow," his father answered. "But we'll discuss this later, now it's time for you to prepare for dinner," he commanded, motioning a servant to guide him to his room.

Haku nodded and took his leave, a slight spring in his step as he did so.

"I hope they'll be able to meet again some day," Toshiko said softly, eyeing her son as he walked away.

"I'm sure they will, my dear. I'm sure they will," Akihito responded, a knowing smile on his face.

* * *

It was then that Haku made his final appearance at school, giving everyone his last regards as he made the rounds through his classmates, leaving Chihiro for last.

He approached her quietly, signaling her out in the throng of people. She followed him, her hand clasped in his, as he directed her towards the old oak tree, the spot where they first met. They sat together in comfortable silence before Haku spoke, his eyes resting on her form with deep intensity.

"Chihiro?" he said at last, breaking the solitude they had been enjoying.

"Hmm?" she said, turning around to look him in the eye.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," he said softly, watching her face fall at his words.

"Tomorrow? But why?" she wailed, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"I have to start becoming the prince I was born to be," Haku answered, his persona exuding a sort of mature calmness, quite remarkable for his age.

"Will you come back?" Chihiro questioned, hoping that his answer was the one she had been hoping on.

"I don't think so," he sighed, as much as he was looking forward to becoming a king, he would miss her and their friendship. They had been through thick and thin, and it would be hard leaving her behind.

Chihiro's lips trembled, as tears cascaded down from her eyes, her heart heavy with his announcement. "Will I ever get to see you again?"

"I'm sure you will," Haku said with a smile, hoping to lighten her dreary spirits.

"Do you promise?" Chihiro prompted, holding out her pinky for him to grasp.

Haku nodded, "I promise," he said firmly, wrapping his finger around hers as they shook on their vow. They pulled each other into a tight hug before pulling apart, sadness reflected in their eyes.

"I'm going to miss you," Chihiro said at last, unable to keep the waver out of her voice as tears continued to fall.

"Me too," Haku agreed, sharing his sentiments.

They stayed together for a moment longer, drinking in the other's company before standing up and parting ways, not seeing each other for many years to come.

* * *

**A/N 2: **Wow, two months later and I finally updated. Jeeze, that took me long enough, huh? Well, anyway the story will now gradually ease into their later years as older children, teenager, and finally young adults. I do have a rather fun plot with this one, so expect some twists along the way.

**Thanks: **I have to give my thanks to all the reviewers who commented on my story. You guys are absolutely wonderful! They being: Summer Jasmine, Creation of a Dream, Katie B 16, weirdo-girl, tiinis, friendwriter, angel0fdestiny, and Monoui. Thanks again!


	4. f o u r

**Through the Phases of Love**

**Chapter Four: **Birthday Reunions

**Disclaimer: **Not mine, as usual.

**+ b i r t h d a y . r e u n i o n s +**

_chapter four_

_**Six years later…**_

"Your Highness? There is a letter for you," a servant called out, and the young female turned, her eyes regarding the tall man before her. His hand held out a white envelope, emblazoned with the seal of her family, and she took it gently, smiling as she did so.

"Thank you," she said in response. The man nodded and turned on his heel, walking towards whatever duties he had been assigned to do.

Frowning, Chihiro turned the envelope over in her hands and eyed the family seal on the back. With deft fingers, she quickly broke it and unrolled the letter that was held inside. Perusing their contents, she realized with a shock that it was a letter from her parents. She hadn't seen or heard for them in a great while, not since she had started the school term.

_My Daughter,_

_It will soon be your birthday and we have great desire to see you at home. I have already made all the arrangements needed for your arrival. There will be a carriage waiting for your departure from the grounds tomorrow to take you to our palace. We look forward to seeing you._

_Signed,_

_Your Mother and Father_

She would be leaving for home tomorrow? That was soon. But then, her parents were always one for sudden announcements. A broad smile broke out over her face once she realized the full meaning of the letter. She would be going home! She would see her parents! She had missed them ever so much and had thought about them almost every day.

If she was to depart tomorrow, than perhaps it would be prudent to get her things together? Thinking that was a sound idea, she walked towards her dorm and made preparations for the coming day in her day. After all, the faster she got done, the faster she would be able to leave. Of course, her desire to depart so quickly wasn't because she hated living here, on the contrary, she loved her school, or Academy rather as it was called, but there were moments when she felt so alone, she thought the pain from it would consume her whole. Even despite her sweet nature and bubbly personality, she didn't have very many friends and had found solace in paternal figures, which included her instructors and school staff.

It was a shame that not many other people saw the wonderful qualities in the small, ten-year-old girl, but it was what came with the life of a boarding school. There were many children at any one time and all of them found themselves forming their own cliques based on their lineage or ideals. The Academy of Arts, as it was termed, was the designated place of learning for those of nobility and was placed strategically in the center of the continent, so that those who wanted an education needed to send their children there, as opposed to them fighting over which had the better facilities in either country.

Unable to keep her excitement contained within herself, Chihiro began to hum a soft tune, her feet skipping in time to the melody. Her fingers curled around the letter with a heavy grip, determined not to let it go. As she made her way down the long corridor, tendrils of hair came loose from her braid, framing her brown eyes that were sparkling from happiness. Although she was only ten, her face was already undergoing the transformation into adolescence; the round appearance of her cheeks starting its slow gradual metamorphosis into sharper angles that defined the lines of her bone structure.

A portrait of a woman with a severe glare and long red hair, hung against the polished oak walls, and Chihiro let out a smile upon seeing it. It was the marker she used to indicate that her dormitory was nearby, and when she turned the corner, found the deep bronzed doors she had been looking for. Placing her hands on the smooth surface, she gave it a hard shove and it yielded under her pressure, swinging inwards to reveal the room inside.

She was always pleased to step into her living quarters, after all, they were quite beautiful, and they had to be if they were to serve the possible future monarchs of the lands. Alongside the walls, large glass windows looked out into the gardens below with satin curtains framing the sides, intricate designs made from gold and silk thread wove themselves throughout the material, creating beautiful images that Chihiro loved to stare at. Ornately crafted couches and tables were arranged around the room, situated on top of the finest tapestries money could buy. At the far end sat a fireplace, should anyone need warmth when the winter months took place.

A large variety of girls were scattered about the room, many caught in deep conversations of things that interested them, while a few others were busy reviewing their lessons, not wanting to fall behind. Chihiro's eyes scanned the room around her, looking for the face of her handmaiden that had been assigned to help her. She wasn't anywhere to be seen. Frowning, she thought it best to ask someone who knew and her eyes fell on a familiar face. Rina Matsuo.

"Rina?" Chihiro asked softly, hoping she wasn't on the tail-end of her vicious temper today.

She turned, and a look of disgust came across her features as she eyed the person standing in front of her. Time had not changed the relationship between the two and it was quite obvious that it never would. "What?" she snapped, her sapphire eyes narrowing into a heated glare.

"Do you know where my handmaiden is?" Chihiro said timidly, bracing herself for more of her harsh words.

"No, why would I know that? Check the servants' quarters if you need her," Rina answered shortly, feeling the conversation to be a waste of her time. "In fact, why would you need her anyway? Classes are over and there are no special events planned for the rest of the day," she inquired, her eyes raking over the letter held in the other girl's hand, her tone suspicious.

It was at this that Chihiro beamed, "My Mother and Father sent me a letter. I'm going to go home tomorrow for my birthday! Isn't that wonderful?" Her hands held out the parchment as proof, her heart thudding with joy.

At once, a wave of jealousy flooded through Rina's veins. It was just not fair. Why did she get special treatment, when she didn't? She was more worthy of receiving it than that pasty, glob of mud that girl was! "What makes you so special that you get to go home, huh? You aren't even a real princess! By all rights _I_ should go home too! My blood is purer than yours!" she lashed out, storming up the stairs into her room.

Chihiro stood befuddled. _Not a princess? But, I am a princess...What in the world did she mean?_ Frowning, she wandered out of the living quarters and headed down a corridor, seeking out the woman who had served her for many years. She would know the answer, she was sure of it.

Coming to a stop at the end of a long hallway, she knocked gently on a wooden door, hoping to see the kind face of her closest confidant. A round woman with graying chestnut hair stepped out, her brown eyes kind as she regarded the young female in front of her.

"Lady Chihiro? Was there something you needed from me?" she asked gently, tucking her hands underneath her apron.

"Oh, yes! Masami, my parents sent me a letter saying that I would be going home for my birthday. If you could pack up a few things for me by tomorrow, that would be great," Chihiro said, indicating the item she held in her hand.

"Oh, that's wonderful! Of course I'll get your things together," Masami responded, her lips curved up into a smile. She would do anything for the young lady, as she was quite special, not only did she treat her with consideration, but she had thought of her as a real friend, and that was something quite precious. Many of the other girls she had worked for thought of only of their status in society and thought she was below them, but not this child, she was much more than that.

"So your birthday, hmm? Are you excited?" she continued, as they began their slow walk back to her dorm.

"Oh, of course! I can't wait to see them! I've missed them so much; I don't know what I'll do when I get there," Chihiro said brightly, suppressing her inner desire to squeal with excitement. There was one thing still bothering her though...

"Masami?"

"Hmm?" the older lady answered, inclining her head in her direction.

"Earlier I asked Rina where you were, and I told her that I was going home. She got upset and said that I didn't deserve my special treatment, and that I'm not a real princess, and that she should get it because her blood is purer than mines. What does that mean?" she said finally with a frown, her eyes downcast.

_Oh, that horrid girl! If I weren't such a lowly handmaiden I'd teach her a thing or two!_ Masami thought darkly in her mind. _That was just a horrible thing to say to her! Especially when it was almost her birthday..._ "Oh dear, don't pay much attention to her, she's just jealous," she said.

"She is?"

"Yes, she is. It's nothing to worry about," Masami reassured, patting the girl gently on the back.

"But what about what she said?" Chihiro persisted, her eyes wide as she pleaded with the older woman to answer.

Masami sighed, "I'm sorry, it's not in my place to tell you."

"Oh," Chihiro mumbled, her voice heavy with disappointment.

"I'm sure you'll find out someday..."

* * *

After a short talk with her Headmaster, or rather the person who was in charge at the Academy, she found herself racing down the corridors, searching out the tall doors that marked the entrance. Without wasting anytime she let herself out and ran down the marble stairs her eyes searching for the horse-drawn carriage her parents had promised would be waiting for her.

Along the way she passed by rows of elegantly kept bushes, each perfectly trimmed and designed into a complementary shape. The path towards the front gates was a road of soft gravel and pebbles, each a soft white in color. Flowers of every color bloomed on either side of her, and she stopped to caress the petals of a group of roses, being careful to avoid the large thorns that grew on their stems. If it was one thing she loved, it was nature, and she would revel in it, soaking in its peaceful ambience whenever she made her way down the gardens. Her parents had a beautiful one, but it wasn't the same, their selection of flowers weren't as big, nor was it so carefully groomed.

The thought of her parents sent her nerves into an ecstatic frenzy and she pulled herself away from the bushes, rushing down the path once more. It was to her shock that just as she was about to reach the front gates, she collided into the body of another. Reeling back in surprise, she glanced upwards at her victim, and let out a frown. There was something familiar about him...

He was young, about her age, if not, maybe a few years older. His clothes were finely tailored, made from the best fabrics money could buy, and it was obvious he was someone of important status. He towered over her, his head easily reaching over the top of hers, but it was his eyes that caught her attention. They were a piercing green, practically emerald in color, and they stared hard at her, an expression of surprise but also confusion in their depths. Who was he...?

And then, a memory long buried began to surface from the back of her mind, it prickled gently at the edge of her senses, and she frowned, bringing the contents back into focus.

_"Will I ever get to see you again?" a girl much younger said with tears in her eyes._

_"I'm sure you will," the boy responded, his kind eyes reassured her, a soft smile on his lips._

_"Do you promise?" she asked again, her voice trembling as she waited for his answer._

_"I promise."_

She snapped up her head and stared at him with wide eyes, recognition flooding through them.

"Haku...?"

He frowned, his eyes lost deep in though as he tried to place the girl in front of him. Where had he seen her before? He was completely positive he knew who she was, it called to him, and her name was on the tip of his tongue, but he just couldn't remember. He squeezed his eyes shut in an effort dredge up some hint of her identity, and it was mostly unsuccessful until it him with a dizzying crash.

His eyes shot open and he let out a surprised gasp, "Chihiro?"

She nodded; pleased he remembered and gave a smile. "Oh, Haku! I haven't seen you for so long! I've missed you so much," she said fondly, her eyes growing distant with past memories.

"As I have for you," he answered. "You look exactly as I remember." And she did, she may have been a bit taller but she still had that impressionable personality and bubbly smile.

"You too! Although, maybe you look a bit more grown up I guess," she responded, glancing at him up and down.

He laughed. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm going to go home for a bit. It's my birthday soon, and my parents wanted to celebrate it with me this time," she said brightly, looking around for the carriage once again.

"Oh, is it? How old are you going to be?" Haku questioned, seeing as how she couldn't possibly have been four anymore.

"Ten. You?" she said, turning her head towards him as she regarded him with curious eyes.

"Twelve."

"Wow. I forgot you were older than me. So, what brings you back here?" After all, the last time she had seen him he had told her that he would probably never return, so what was different?

"Well, my father figured that I was adequately trained enough in the art of politics, and said that I needed to socialize with other children my age, so he sent me here. Also, I was told that I would learn a lot of important lessons here useful for life in the future, so he thought it best that I attend school," Haku replied, his answer very well formulated, a result of his ventures.

"So, you're going to stay here, for good?" Chihiro questioned lightly, hoping he wouldn't disappear in an abrupt manner like he had before.

He gave her a knowing smile, "Yes, it seems I am going to be here for good."

A clopping of horse hooves reached their ears and she turned towards the sound, spotting the carriage she had been waiting so anxiously for. The head of a bay gelding tossed its head, snorting as it came to a stop. The driver held the reins in a gloved hand, waving slightly at her as he pulled the horses to a stop. A bulky man clad in a vest of armor appeared from the other side and she knew it was time to go.

"Wait," Haku said, causing her to pause briefly in her tracks.

She stared curiously at him, her brow furrowed as she pondered over what her newly reunited friend had to say to her.

"Here, take this," he said, thrusting a large flower into her hands. At her questioning stare he answered, "For your birthday."

She looked at it and let out a broad smile. It was a white lily, the same one she had been trying to catch before she had fallen into the river. She had no idea how he managed to procure one, but was ever grateful for it all the same. "Thank you," she said in response, and he nodded.

Toshi, her bodyguard and head knight of her father's private army, gave her a gruff greeting, holding out his hand to help her into the carriage. She took it and quickly stepped into the open door. Situating herself on the plush seats, she looked out the window to look for Haku, waving her hand goodbye as the carriage began to move.

Chihiro kept her gaze fixated on him as they drove away, watching him until he was nothing more than a speck in the distance.

* * *

Her arrival at the palace was met with great fanfare, her mother shrieking over her appearance and overloading her with hugs and kisses, while her father held back and gave her a curt greeting, pulling her into a hesitant embrace as he did so. They had been so eager to hear all that she had done at school, and much of the days passed in that fashion, her relaying stories of what had occurred and of them bestowing large amounts of affection on her.

The day of her birthday dawned bright and beautiful, the early morning sun covering the ground in its rays. After her maidens had dressed her in a light outfit at the request of her parents, she made her way to the dining hall. Her palace was magnificent, if she had to say so herself, it was gorgeous and was a sight to see with its refined architecture and sophisticated interior design, but what she loved the most about it wasn't its sheer size and impressive stature, but its homely feel. It actually felt like people had lived here and she wasn't reminded of their status in society at every turn.

Her parents were already there, and they greeted her with broad smiles. Together they ate in peaceful silence before her father spoke out.

"So, today's your birthday, hmm?" he said, his brown eyes flashing, as he regarded her with a level stare.

"Yep," Chihiro responded, unable to keep her excitement contained. She knew her parents were up to something, she just _knew_ it.

"We've decided to do something very special for you," her mother added, her glossy auburn locks falling gracefully down her shoulders, as she tilted her head.

"You did?" Chihiro said with a slight squeal, her voice rising at the end of question.

"Of course," her father responded. "If you follow your mother and I towards the stable, you'll see what we've gotten for you."

_The stables? What could they have gotten for her? _It must have been an animal of some sort; she couldn't count the times she had begged incessantly for her own pet to take care of. Without delay she stood off her chair and walked in place behind her parents, as they headed out the side exit. Their long and steady strides passed the blooming gardens, and she ventured a quick glance at the place, enjoying the beautiful flowers that had sprung up amongst the trees and fountains. Finally, at last, the stables came into view, its rectangular shape covering the horizon. It was simple but neat in appearance, with stable hands darting to and fro, as they went about their daily chores.

As they stepped closer, a loud chorus of knickers, whinnies, and snorts, greeted their arrival. The head manager came forward and had a quick word with her father before he went out towards the back, motioning for people to get something ready.

"Well, I know how much you've longed to have a horse for your own," her mother started, gazing at her quietly.

"Yes, and seeing how today was your birthday, we thought there was no better time to give you one," her father continued, as they swept down the aisle together.

Chihiro nodded and waited for them to continue.

"I know how heart broken you were over the death of Marbell," Yuuko said, remembering the many tears her daughter had shed when their favorite mare had to be put down from infirmities. At this, Chihiro bowed her head, recalling the despair she had felt when she had heard the news. Marbell was someone she had looked forward to seeing whenever she returned home, and had spent many hours in her company, confiding all of her hopes, dreams, and tears from her times at school.

"We miss her too. She was one of our best broodmares, and was quite the athlete herself," Akio responded, sighing fondly over the memories they had shared.

"So, we have decided that since you're old enough, we have given you her last foal," Yuuko said.

At this Chihiro looked up, her eyes wide and she let out a gasp. "Really? Are you sure?" _Marbell's last foal! _Oh, she just couldn't believe it. She had loved that mare so much, and to be given her last foal was a dream come true.

"Yes, we are. Although, he can't be really called a foal now, he's nearly three and turning out to be quite the colt," her father said proudly, confirming their decision. Soon, they came to a stop in front of the paddock area and waited patiently for him to be brought out.

A soft cough garnered their attention and they turned towards the sound, the barn manager who had disappeared earlier was now walking towards them, leading a horse with him.

"Here he is!" the man said, presenting the large colt by his side.

The horse pricked his ears forward, amused by the visitors in front of him. He was beautiful; his body was a fine tuned bundle of muscles and well defined lines. His coat glimmered in the sunlight, the rays catching on the dapples in his golden coat. From what she could see, he had absolutely perfect conformation, and seemed quite intelligent too from his bright, attentive eyes. He craned his neck towards her and Chihiro reached out with a hesitant hand, easing her palm down the length of his neck, his hair soft as silk.

"Oh, he's absolutely wonderful! What did you name him?" Chihiro said cheerfully, running her fingers over the jagged strip of white down the colt's face.

"Dante, actually. I have no idea how your mother came up with that name," Akio frowned, thinking the horse deserved a much grander title befitting of his lineage.

"Well, anyway, I love him!" Chihiro said gleefully, her eyes sparkling from joy. Her own horse! She couldn't believe it, all those years of begging, and now she finally had one. Marbell's last colt too! There was no greater honor in the gift she had just received; she just hoped she would do them proud.

"We're glad," her parents stated simply, pleased they were able to make their daughter so happy.

In the midst of her proclamations of love and affection, there was something that still bothered her. Rina's words. Masami hadn't told her the answer and now the questions burned at the back of her mind. What did she mean that she wasn't a real princess, and that her blood was purer than hers? She _was_ a princess, so that meant her blood must automatically have been granted higher status than hers. Chihiro just didn't understand what she had been trying to get at, and it irked her that she couldn't. Her parents would know, they always had the answer for her questions.

"Mother?"

Yuuko turned, her eyes scanning the face of her daughter; she would have been blind if she didn't detect that note of hesitancy in her voice. She frowned, wondering what could possibly have been bothering her; it had to be something major if she had approached the question with the seriousness as she did.

"Yes?" she said.

"Before I came here, Rina told me that, 'I'm not a real princess,' and that she deserved the same special treatment I did because, 'her blood was purer,' than mine. What did she mean?" Chihiro inquired softly, her hands working a steady rhythm over Dante's neck in an effort to distract her from the frayed nerves she was experiencing. The colt sensing her anxiety nudged her gently, and she patted his nose briefly to let him know she was okay. "I am a princess, right? So, what could she possibly have meant by that?"

Akio's eyes narrowed in anger. _How dare someone say that to my daughter! _He thought this whole blood sense was behind them but apparently from what she had said, it was not. She was the right princess by birth and deserved her title, not anyone else. "Who is this, 'Rina'?"

"I don't know, she's a girl at my school. I knew her from my primary education days," Chihiro said.

"No, what is her name?" Akio persisted, as he tried to uncover the person behind the current problem.

"Matsuo, Rina Matsuo."

Akio scowled darkly. He knew that her parents would have been sore over the fact that their daughter had been chosen over theirs to be married to the Prince of the Western Kingdom, seeing as how they held the rank of Duke, but that was no excuse to instill such negativity in their child. "Figures, her parents would input those sorts of ideals in her brain. I would have expected them to put the past behind them, but that was probably too good of me to assume."

Yuuko sent a glare in her husband's direction, cutting off any further statements he had to say. "Honey, that's a terrible thing for someone to say, though, it probably can't be helped. I'm sure you'll meet much the same sentiments from many people as you grow up, but don't let them know their words have hurt you, it will only provide them with more ammunition to continue."

Chihiro nodded, taking her mother's wisdom to heart but that still didn't answer her question. Why? "But you still haven't explained to me why people feel that way, or why Rina said that to me," she persisted.

"I guess there's no way around it. You would have found out about it sooner or later anyhow," Akio sighed, rubbing a hand to his face. "I wasn't born a royal, far from it, actually. I was a lowly farmer's boy who tended to the fields to help his father sell his produce at the market, so we could make a living off what we had earned."

"Things were difficult. With each passing season the taxes on our land would increase, and we would find ourselves at odds on how to meet the grueling payments we were forced to make. Soon enough, time came that we couldn't meet the demands set on us anymore. Furious, the King murdered my family and countless others. I was only lucky to escape in the dead of night, taking cover in the nearby forest that bordered our lands. I burned with the desire to avenge them, and so I joined his army, moving up the ranks until I became the foremost knight he would call upon. It was then that I met your mother, she was a beautiful handmaiden sent to serve under me." At this Akio cast his gaze towards Yuuko, and she blushed faintly, her cheeks becoming stained by touches of pink.

"In secret, a rebellion was formed under the cover of night, and I was its leader, the voice for all those who felt oppressed by his tyranny and rule. A plan was formed and it was followed through, the farmers refused to work their fields, and the villagers stopped paying their taxes, despite being subjected to heavy abuse and violence to continue. Furious, the King led an army of knights to flatten any and all opposition. A war was raged, and we came out victorious. It was then that they decided to elect me their leader, recognizing my gallantry and warmth of heart," Akio finished, his eyes closing briefly as he recalled the many memories that had been buried so long ago.

"And that was when you were born, my dear, during the first year under your father's rule," Yuuko said fondly, caressing her daughter's cheek with a loving hand. "It was quite a joyous occasion, and a lot of festivities were held in your honor."

"In a sense, Rina was correct in saying that her blood was purer than yours, as she descends from a line of nobility that goes back many generations, but you aren't any less of a person than she is. It is what you believe in your heart and the love of the people that you serve is what really matters," her mother finished, planting a kiss on her cheek before drawing herself back up.

"Don't forget that. Wherever you may go or whatever you may do, take these words to heart and do not forget them," Akio instructed, his eyes piercing into hers with an intense stare, emphasizing the importance of what he had said.

"I will."

And she did, for whatever came her way, the words of her parents was never far behind.

* * *

**A/N 2: **Here's another one. There seems to be a pattern with this story's updates, once every three months. I'm sorry for that, I really should put out chapters a lot more frequently, which is quite easily achieved since this one is way easier to write than my other story, but I don't know. I'm a slacker. In the future, I'll try to make updates more frequent, since I did just write out the entire outline for this story on pbwiki that I had floating in my head for months. (I highly recommend that site if you want to plan out your stories! It's great.)

On a note, if anyone's confused. This story takes place in a setting that is created purely from my imagination, and while it has elements that are Japanese in nature, it does not take place in Japan. It's got more of a medieval type of flair to it, which I thought would be a refreshing change of scenery. Anywho, that's enough rambling from me today. Haha.

**Thanks: **I could never forget those who left me a review! They being: Lady Ariez, Darkangl28, rurico, Summer Jasmine, Zealaya-sama, Sachie-san. Thank you so much! My gratitude towards you knows no ends! But also, any of my readers as well! Thank you guys all so much!


	5. f i v e

**Through the Phases of Love**

**Chapter Five: **Just Like Old Times

**Disclaimer: **I could only wish I had even a modicum of talent Miyazaki Hayao does.

**+ j u s t . l i k e . o l d . t i m e s +  
**_chapter five_

The clatter of footfalls echoed loudly down a long corridor as Chihiro raced past doors and tapestries, searching for the one that she was looking for. She was late, and she was sure her instructor would be furious.

Making a wide turn, she slid to a halt and took a moment to catch her breath. In her mad rush, strands of her hair had come loose from her braid and now hung wildly about her face, ruining all the work Masami had done earlier. Her physical exertion had flushed her cheeks a bright pink, and her slender dress was creased beyond simple repair, making it billow up into unkempt positions. _Mistress Fumiko won't be happy about this!_

It had been a week since she had returned home from her visit to her parents, and time had passed by rather uneventfully. She had caught up quickly, finishing off her last overdue assignments, and studied the material that her peers had learned while she was gone. Speech, on the other hand, had been quite difficult and she was already in deep enough trouble with her teacher as it is. She was sure the consequences for her arriving late would be disastrous, and she was not looking forward to it.

Wiping the slight sheen of sweat from her forehead, Chihiro slid to a stop at the front of a large oak door, her sides heaving from her brief run. Not wasting any time, she reached out and shoved her way in, cringing in dismay when the panels crashed into the walls on the inside of the room, causing a loud echoing _boom_ to announce her presence.

At once, fifteen of her other peers had lifted their heads to gaze at her, their eyes wide with surprise. Shocked, the light-haired female standing at the front of the room stared wide-eyed at the girl who had disrupted her class, mouth open as words failed to escape her. She stood there for a few minutes before reality brought her a severe wake up call and she quickly snapped to attention.

"Lady Chihiro, _what is the meaning of this?_" Mistress Fumiko roared, advancing on the flustered girl.

Chihiro shrunk back, fearing her teacher's wrath. "I-I'm s-sorry," she managed to stutter out, her head down and eyes gazing at the floor.

"_Enough!_ I am not interested in hearing your excuses!" the elder lady raged. "You are royalty! This type of negligence will not be tolerated!"

The harsh words hit her like a pile of bricks and she fought to keep her composure. Tears welled up at the corner of her eyes and she bit her lip to keep from crying.

"I'm sorry," she said again, clutching the sides of her dress as she kept her head lowered.

"Your behavior is not fitting of your stature. If you do not arrive at the appropriate time for class, you shall find yourself without a seat, and will take the remainder of your lessons in the hall. Understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Chihiro responded softly, glancing briefly into her instructor's eyes.

"Good," Mistress Fumiko said at last, satisfied by her answer, as she moved towards the front of the room to begin her lesson once more.

Relieved that the brunt of her instructor's anger had passed, Chihiro gathered her wits about her and continued onwards in the direction of her seat, avoiding her classmates' eyes as she did so. Eyeing her chair among the last row of desks, she let out a sigh and sat down, grabbing pieces of parchment and quills from the back.

A soft chorus of laughter reached her ears, and Chihiro frowned, turning in her seat to find the source of the noise. Her eyes fell on a dark-haired peer who sat a few spots ahead of her. It was Rina.

A broad smirk came over the other girl's face once she realized who was gazing at her. She had thoroughly enjoyed watching Chihiro's discomfort, and thought she had deserved the harsh reprimands she had received for being tardy. It wasn't every day that she was able to witness her hated rival be treated like the rest of them and not the favored pet of the adults.

Chihiro's frown deepened further upon as she watched the other girl's actions play out in front of her, upset that someone would take joy in another person's misfortune. She didn't know why Rina hated her so much; she had always tried her best to be friendly to her. Was it something she did?　

She let out a sigh and focused on her teacher up ahead, marking down notes whenever she came across something that seemed important. She was sure her instructor would probably make reference to them later on in the future, which was why she was writing them out now, because she didn't want to be caught unprepared when Mistress Fumiko called on her to demonstrate it.

If she had to be honest with herself, speech wasn't on the top of her list of favorite classes. Chihiro never understood why they had to go through the rituals of learning how to enunciate and formulate sentences correctly. She was speaking well enough, right? So, why attend lessons for it? She shook her head, she'd probably never know the answer to those questions, and thought it best just to resign herself to the oncoming signal that would mark the end of class.

* * *

_Finally!_ Chihiro thought, as she let out a relieved sigh, happy that the afternoon lessons had finished. She was extremely hungry and was looking forward to her lunch, nothing was better than eating a good plate of food. Her parents had always told her that, besides, whenever she ate to her heart's content she felt quite satisfied afterwards. She just didn't understand why some of her other peers had to complain about what they were served, food was food, and they should be grateful they had such wonderful tasting meals cooked for them day after day.

Her eyes glanced from side to side, taking in the huge tapestries that hung on the castle walls, as she followed the horde of people that were headed towards the dining area. A large archway greeted her, and she walked towards it, scanning for a place to sit. Although they were given the freedom to choose whatever seating they preferred, it was hoped that the students would gradually learn to interact with one another, which had so far been deemed a failure.

For the most part, the children would break off into their collective groups and find a place to gather around, which decreased the chances that someone outside of their circle would be able to join in. It was because of this problem that Chihiro would find herself without a friend to associate herself with and spent the majority of her mealtimes eating in the company of no one. Although her solitary life didn't seem to bother her much as she was always in bright spirits despite her lack of comrades to socialize with.

Chihiro frowned, pausing at the large entrance as she scanned the crowd of people for an available table. Most of them had already been taken, and it was rather difficult looking through mass of people to find an empty seat. After all, she wasn't very tall, and many of the students were of much more considerable stature than she was. Her face broke out into a smile when she found a small, wooden one at the back of the room, pressed flat against the wall.

Hurrying forwards, she deftly picked her way through the maze of bodies and pulled out chairs, making sure she didn't hit someone accidentally in her haphazard path. Finally, at last, she had reached her targeted destination and sank down into her seat with a sigh, putting her head on the table as she did so. It was only a few moments more before a servant approached her with a plate in his hands, steam rising from the pile of food.

"And what would you have to drink today, my lady?" he asked politely, setting the plate down on the round placemat before her.

"Is there any fruit juice? I haven't had any for so long..." Chihiro said wistfully, her eyes broadcasting her silent plea. It had been _ages _since she had some, and she missed tasting the sweet flavors that were brought out by the different blends.

The servant gave a smile, "Of course, milady," with a slight nod he took his leave, heading off towards the kitchens to fulfill his order.

Glancing down at her plate, Chihiro surveyed the contents of her meal, her fingers grazing over the fork placed at its side. Her eye was caught on the breast of chicken that stood out in the center of her plate that was placed over an intricate bed of vegetables. Over the top of it all was a light drizzling of sauce or dressing, but what had amused her most was the small slices of orange placed periodically throughout the dish. She let out a giggle. They were just so tiny!

It was a wonder how they had managed to arrange the food into such a pretty display, she was sure it had taken quite a bit of time for them to get it into the right form. Frowning, she held her fork over the food, hesitant at breaking up such beautiful artwork. But it was only after her stomach let out an audible groan in protest that she decided to start eating.

Unbeknownst to her, a pair of dark green eyes had been watching her actions from afar. He let out a smirk in amusement, and after glancing at his own plate, decided to join her.

Chihiro's head snapped up with a start, jumping slightly when she saw a pair of hands appear before her. Gazing upwards, she searched for the identity of the person that had joined her, coming to a stop once she saw his face. "Oh."

"Haku, it's you," she said, surprised that he was sitting with her.

"Yes, it's me. Where you waiting for someone else?" he asked, glancing down at her. He didn't want to be the cause of an unnecessary interruption for her, if she was indeed expecting another person.

She shook her head. "No, I was just a bit surprised; hardly anyone ever sits with me."

"I see," he responded, frowning slightly at her words. _Did she not have any friends?_

"So, how come I haven't seen you here before?" Chihiro said, shoving a mound of chicken into her mouth. _This is really delicious! _The sweet, yet tangy flavor erupted over her tongue, driving her taste buds into a frenzy. While she did have her misgivings, the dressing that had been ladled over the food was a perfect addition. The sweet flavor was strong, but not overpowering, giving the meal that kick it needed.

"Well, I'm older than you so I have different lessons to attend to, but today they finished early for some reason. Thus, I was able to join the first group for lunch," Haku replied, picking up his fork to start on his meal.

Chihiro nodded. "Oh, I see." It would only be logical that he would eat with the second set of people for lunch, after all the school's population was too large for everyone to eat at one time, so they split them up in groups, having one section eat after the other was done. It would explain why she hadn't seen him around.

"So, how was your birthday?" Haku asked, remembering their last encounter. To say he was shocked would be an understatement. He had never expected to see his childhood friend ever again, and then to meet coincidentally on the first day he was enrolled in school, was to put it lightly, unbelievable. The chances of that occurring were ridiculously high, but somehow, they had managed to defy the odds and reunite with one another once more. Perhaps it was fate?

Chihiro smiled, happy that someone was interested in what she had to say. Normally, she would just have Masami to confide her thoughts in, and while she was a very apt listener, she'd often find herself wishing for someone her age to chat with.

"It was great!" she said cheerfully, beaming at him. "Mother and Father where very happy to see me, they gave me all sorts of hugs, and brought me a lot of presents."

Haku nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"The best part of it all though, was the present they had saved for last," she said fondly, remembering the proud horse her parents had given her.

"And what would that be?" he asked, leaning closer to hear her.

"A horse!" Chihiro beamed, her eyes sparkling as she broke out into a wide smile. "I've always wanted one, and my parents gave me the last foal of their prized mare!" she said proudly. Frowning, she paused for a second before continuining. "I wanted to bring him here, but…"

"But what?" Haku pressed, his fingers curling around his fork.

"Well," Chihiro began, "I asked my parents if they could send him over here, but they said no."

"Why?"

"They said that since I don't know how to ride yet, it's not feasible for them to send him over. He'll probably only create a lot more work for the stable hands here, so for now, they'll keep him at home," Chihiro said, frowning slightly in disappointment.

"Ah, I see. That makes sense," Haku added, glancing down at her and giving her a small smile.

"I know, but I wished I could have him here with me," she sighed, digging her fork back into her plate of food. "I hope we can start riding lessons soon. The faster I learn, the faster I'll be able to see Dante again," Chihiro said with determination, her eyes narrowing as she spoke her words. "Do you have a horse?"

Haku nodded, "Yes, I do. Father gave it to me when I started school, said it was a 'gift for the start of my progress towards an educated ruler'."

"Wow, aren't you lucky!" she gushed. "So, were you able to bring him here?"

"No, but I will eventually. Father says I have to become a bit more adept at horsemanship before I'm able to ride him," he responded, eating a mouthful of vegetables.

"I wish I could see him," Chihiro said wistfully, thinking back to her own horse.

"Once he's brought here, I'll make sure to show him to you," Haku said, glancing at her with his green eyes.

A soft cough interrupted the pair of children as the forgotten waiter had returned with her requested drink. Bowing his head apologetically, he placed the goblet in front of Chihiro. "I must apologize for taking as long as I did. We had a bit of difficulty keeping up with all the orders that were placed."

She smiled, "That's all right, it's only a drink. I'm sure you had a lot more important things to do."

"Well, I'll leave you two to the rest of your meal. Enjoy," he stated, bowing once more before turning on his heel and attending to the rest of the students who were expecting him.

Taking the goblet in her hands, she gently sipped the crimson liquid, savoring the flavor as she took the moment to scrutinize its taste. It was sweet, but not tangy, a refreshing addition to her meal, as she swallowed the gulp of juice she had taken. She swore she could pick out a tinge of apple buried underneath the layer of grapefruit. Perhaps there was some banana in it as well? Whatever they had put in there, the drink was delicious, and she thoroughly enjoyed it.

"So, Haku," Chihiro started, getting the boy's attention back on her.

"Yes?" he said, inclining his head towards her.

"What did you do all those years?" she inquired, her tone eager.

"Well, despite what it seems, my life was rather normal," Haku answered, pushing away his plate as he finished the last vestiges of his meal.

"Oh?"

"My Father took me away on his travels that would last for months at a time," Haku began, reliving his old memories. "He would introduce me to many of his important disciples and advisors that lived across the land. He wanted to make sure that I was well acquainted with them to prepare me for the future when I would take over his rule."

"That sounds very… important," Chihiro said, grasping at the right word to use for a description.

"It was. After all it wouldn't do for a future ruler to be unaware of the people he'll later work with, right?" Haku returned. "Then also, besides that, he would take me to visit the other lands and their leaders, which included your parents as well."

"Wow," Chihiro said, amazed. She had never ventured outside of the Eastern Kingdom's borders, with the exception of her schooling; she had mainly stayed inside the palace with her parents. "My parents never told me that you came to visit," she mumbled, frowning slightly.

"Perhaps you were at school during the time I was there?" Haku suggested, a puzzled look on his face.

"Oh, that's probably it," Chihiro mused. She was hardly ever home anyway, so it probably didn't seem important for her parents to tell her that he had come. "Did you do anything else?"

"Well, travelling around took up a lot of our time, but when I was able stay home for an extended period, my parents would have instructors come and teach me when they were able. After visiting the homes of many nobles you tend to pick up their speaking habits," Haku said, smiling slightly.

Chihiro frowned, "Why do we have to learn how to speak properly? Isn't it enough that I am able to get my point across and that people understand me?" she questioned, remembering the events from today. Although she tried hard not to show it, her unpleasant experience from earlier in the day had managed to become ingrained into her voice, making her sound much more forceful than she intended.

Haku tilted his head, was there something behind her words? He was about to question her about it, but thought better of it, and left it alone. "In most cases, yes, it is enough, but not if you're going to be the future leader of your country, or someone who holds a lot of power. People won't take you seriously if you don't speak with the required form. It won't do to have your leader speaking like an ordinary commoner," Haku paused, letting his words sink in. "It's our words that command respect, and is what people will listen to, so I'd say it's pretty important to learn how to address or hold conversations with the proper speech that is required," he explained further, hoping that his words cleared up any gray areas she may have had.

"Oh, I see," Chihiro replied, as she pursed her lips slightly at the new information. _Well, that certainly makes things a lot clearer! _"Important or not, I still don't like the class."

Haku chuckled. "Well, to be honest, I don't like it all that much either," he agreed, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smirk.

Chihiro let out a smile and gazed up into his eyes. The joy that she felt at having her old friend back was immeasurable, and she was so happy, that finally, at last, she wouldn't be alone anymore. She blushed lightly at her sudden thoughts, and wondered where they had come from, before turning her head back down towards her plate and resuming her meal. The two ate together in silence and passed the time sharing stories they had gathered over the years during their separation.

Their soft laughter echoed throughout the dining hall, and the two continued their conversation in high spirits, stopping only when the call for classes had forced them to put an end to their afternoon meal. The pair left each other with smiles on their faces, eager to meet once again.

* * *

Glancing up at the portraits that lined the hallways, Chihiro let out a sigh as she turned a corner, exhausted by the day's events. Her lessons were gradually becoming more difficult and if she didn't pay the utmost attention to them, she would fall behind, which was what she was in danger of doing. She found it hard to keep her focus on a subject that she didn't find interesting, and it left her with a great feeling of shame and guilt that she might perhaps be letting her instructors and parents down by her lack of effort.

If that were to happen, she didn't know what would be worst, her mother and father had worked hard to maintain their position in society, and were counting on her to uphold the family tradition. Then there were the workers who doted on her and tried hard to keep things pleasant for her, it would be a complete letdown if she didn't perform up to the expectations they had for her, and for the ones she knew that she herself could easily accomplish.

Sighing once more, she gently pushed open the large oak doors that marked the entrance to her dorm. A small crowd of her roommates had gathered in a circle around a scroll attached to the wall. Frowning, she stepped closer, trying to see what the commotion was, but her efforts were in vain as she was quickly pushed back, not at all closer to discovering what the big fuss was.

Off to the side, she spotted a familiar face. It was Shiori Arakawa, the soft-spoken girl who was always near the top of the class in marks. Although, Chihiro hadn't spoken to her much, from the few encounters they had with one another, she was able to garner that she was a very intelligent person, and had a pleasant persona to match.

Biting her lip, Chihiro hesitantly approached, cautious as to how she would respond. "Shiori? What's going on?"

The smaller girl turned towards her and tucked a stray curl behind her ear before speaking. "Oh, just before you came in Mistress Sayako gave an announcement about a new class that we are now able to join. The details are written up on the scroll, I'm sure you'll be able to see it sooner or later," Shiori informed her.

"Oh, I see," Chihiro answered. It wasn't often that their dorm figurehead came down to talk to them. Usually, she preferred to observe the daily practices that were carried out by the staff and address any concerns that may have come up in the mean time.

"Are you going to sign up for it? I did," she added cheerfully, a broad smile on her face. "I've always wanted to work with horses, and now that there's a class for it, this will be the perfect chance!"

"Horses?" Chihiro mused, picking out the word that caught her interest.

"Yeah, you can find out more from the notice. The crowd's thinned out by now, maybe you could take a look?" she suggested, motioning towards the far wall with her hand.

Chihiro nodded, and quickly moved off, finding a path through the path towards the scroll. Stopping in front of it, she glanced upwards, taking a moment to peruse the writing before it began to sink in.

Once she realized what it was for, she let out a gasp. It was an opportunity for the students to learn about horsemanship and have the chance to try out many forms of different riding activities during their free time. This was the sort of thing she had been waiting for since she had started lessons at this school. Now that the chance was presented right in front of her as clear as day, there was no way she was going to pass it up.

Without a moment's hesitation she grabbed the quill that had been attached to its side and jotted her name down at the end of the parchment, a broad smile on her face. The prospect of her upcoming classes and the support of an old friend by her side, brought great joy to her heart, and she thought maybe, finally, things were beginning to turn out for the better.

* * *

**A/N 2: **Wow, it's been awhile huh? Sorry, I meant for this chapter to come out sooner but life got in the way. You know how that goes. Anyway, I'm not very pleased with this, it's very rough and choppy, and not up to the usual standards I set for myself, but it works I suppose. Thanks for reading!

**Thanks: **A note of thanks for the people who went out of their way to leave a review. They being: Zeal teh Nerdy Shinigami, HyperMint, Dizzypebble, Katie B 17, pot kettle black, and Seumari –tai yuna-. Thanks once again! You have my everlasting gratitude.


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